Introduction

The great artist Pablo Picasso once said that “the more technique you have, the less you have to worry about it.” What does this have to do with Microsoft Windows XP? Well, to paraphrase Picasso, the more Windows XP techniques you have, the less you have to worry about Windows XP itself. The way we see it, what a person creates using a computer is a unique expression of who that person is, whether it’s a memo, letter, financial model, presentation, e-mail message, or Web page.

On the other hand, how the average person uses the computer—or, more to the point, how that person uses Windows XP—probably isn’t unique at all. It’s likely that most users follow the same Start menu paths to launch programs, use standard techniques in programs such as Microsoft Outlook Express and Windows Explorer, and perform customizations that don’t go much beyond changing the wallpaper.

Our goal in this book is to show you that changing the “how” improves the “what.” By altering your usual way of doing things in Windows XP—that is, by learning a few “insider” techniques—you can become a faster and more efficient user with an optimized and relatively trouble-free system. What you’ll find then is that Windows XP fades into the background, and you’ll be able to devote all your precious time and energy into getting your work (or play) done.

What kinds of techniques are we talking about? Here’s a sampling:

• Tweaking Windows XP for maximum performance.

• Automating Windows XP with script files.

• Working faster and smarter with a few simple Start menu and taskbar customizations.

• Boosting productivity with easy file and folder techniques.

• Getting the most out of online sessions by using the most powerful features of Microsoft Internet Explorer.

• Preventing Windows crashes with a simple maintenance plan.

• Taking the pain out of troubleshooting Windows XP problems.

• Working with the registry safely and easily.

• Taking the mystery out of setting up and administering a small network.

Some Notes Before We Begin

This book is intended for people who want to get more out of their Windows XP investment. Power users will find plenty of tips and techniques to take their Windows XP game to a higher level. But this is definitely not an Alpha Geeks– only book. Intermediate users or even anyone who is reasonably comfortable with Windows XP will find an abundance of powerful and practical advice aimed at upgrading skills and knowledge. We’ve tried to shun high-end computing jargon to give you the straight goods on each topic, and we tell you why and how our techniques will make you a better Windows XP user.

We want to note, however, that this isn’t a book for novice Windows XP users. We’ve made a few assumptions throughout the book not only about the minimum level of expertise necessary to use the book, but also about how you use Windows XP. Here are some notes:

• We assume you’ve used Windows XP for a while and are comfortable with basic techniques such as using the Start menu, working with files and folders, dragging objects, and using Windows XP components such as Notepad and Paint.

• We assume you’re using Windows XP Professional. Most of the book’s techniques also work with Windows XP Home Edition, but many do not. We’ve tried to point these out as we go along.

• We assume your computer already has an Internet connection.

• Many of the book’s techniques require that you be logged on using either the Administrator account or an account in the Administrators group. This is explained in more detail in Chapter 5, “Managing Logons and Users.”

• To keep folder paths generic, we’ve used certain environment variables as folder placeholders throughout the book. There are three in particular that we use quite often:

  • %SystemDrive% This refers to the drive on which Windows XP is installed, such as C:.

  • %SystemRoot% This refers to the folder in which Windows XP is installed, such as C:\Windows.

  • %UserProfile% This refers to the root folder of a user’s profile, such as C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.

• As a collection of “insider” techniques, this book isn’t meant to be read from cover to cover (although you’re certainly free to do so). Instead, each chapter is self-contained so that you can dip into the book as required to get the information you need. The only exceptions to this are the first three chapters, which give you some background on a few tools and techniques that we use in most of the other chapters.

• You’ll see reader aids sprinkled liberally throughout the book. These asides offer extra information that we hope you’ll find useful and practical. There are five different sidebars:

  • Note These reader aids give you more information about the current topic. They provide extra insights that give you a better understanding of the task at hand.

  • Tip Tips tell you about Windows XP methods that are easier, faster, or more efficient than standard methods.

  • Caution Here we give warning of accidents just waiting to happen. There are always ways to mess things up when you’re working with computers, and these boxes help you avoid at least some of the pitfalls.

  • Insider Secret These reader aids present little-known or undocumented tricks along with powerful techniques we’ve developed from rooting around in the nooks and crannies of Windows XP.

  • Notes from the Real World These anecdotal sidebars offer detailed, practical know-how based on our nearly 50 years of cumulative experience working with all versions of Windows.